Middle East

Abu Dhabi sees leaving OPEC as a matter of national interest - opinion

The future of Emirati relations appears less tied to traditional binaries of friend and foe and more to the logic of the useful partner, the workable path.

  The OPEC logo pictured ahead of an informal meeting between members of the Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC) in Algiers, Algeria, September 28, 2016.
A screengrab from a video released by CENTCOM shows a flight deck crew member signaling an F‑35 jet on an aircraft carrier, in this image obtained from social media released on February 28, 2026

CENTCOM regional cooperation stopped 6,000 drones, 1,500 ballistic missiles in Iran war - analysis

Activists from the Global Sumud Flotilla, aiming to reach Gaza and break Israel’s naval blockade, gather at a port before their departure in the southern Turkish resort of Marmaris, Turkey, May 14, 2026.

Israeli Navy boards Turkish flotilla for Gaza, Trump says Iran 'dying to sign' ceasefire deal

SAUDI CROWN PRINCE Mohammed bin Salman (R) receives Bahrain’s King Sheikh Hamad bin Isa al-Khalifa ahead of an exceptional meeting of the Gulf Cooperation Council – the first in-person meeting of Gulf leaders since their states became a front in the Iran war two months ago – in Jeddah, April 28.

Voices from the Arab press: Reading the Jeddah statement


Trump tells aides to prepare for extended blockade of Iran, WSJ reports

Trump reportedly believed that maintaining the blockade was less risky than walking away or restarting the conflict.

US President Donald Trump salutes during the annual White House Correspondents' Association dinner in Washington, DC, US, April 25, 2026.

Qatar’s alleged influence over ICC prosecutor raises concerns about legal neutrality - editorial

Allegations of Qatar’s influence over the ICC prosecutor raise serious concerns about the impartiality and fairness of the global legal system, threatening its integrity and objectivity.

Exterior view of the International Criminal Court (ICC) in The Hague, Netherlands, Tuesday, Dec. 9, 2025.

Iranian regime targets diaspora with propaganda, financial appeals, analyst says - interview

Geopolitical analyst Ashkan Rostami discusses how Iran is targeting its diaspora with propaganda and financial appeals, aiming to bolster support during the ongoing conflict.

 People burn Israeli flag during a rally outside the former US embassy in Tehran, to support the Palestinians of the Gaza Strip and to mark the 44th anniversary of the start of the Iran hostage crisis, on November 4, 2023.

Israel’s opening in Lebanon, Syria may not last long - opinion

Hezbollah’s weakening and shifts in Syria and Lebanon open a rare diplomatic window for Israel, if it moves quickly and carefully.

 Illustrative of an Israel flag and Syria flag, with soldiers and weapons.

China should be a factor in Israel's policy strategy - opinion

The Jewish state needs to realize that Beijing often shapes the environment around a decision rather than the decision itself, which is how China has leverage over Tehran

IRANIAN PRESIDENT Masoud Pezeshkian and Chinese President Xi Jinping meet in Beijing, last year.

Israel and Kurdistan: Regional collapse reshapes the Middle East map - opinion

Israel and Kurdistan face shared adversaries, raising questions about new alliances as old Middle East borders weaken and fragment.

A fighter from the Iranian Kurdistan Freedom Party (PAK) takes part in a training exercise at a base near Erbil, Iraq, in February.

Even in ceasefire, Israelis are still living with the war - from the editor

Israelis navigate loss, trauma, and rebuilding – revealing both resilience and hidden strain

Soldiers stand in front a memorial to fallen soldiers in Jerusalem’s Mount Herzl Cemetery a few days ahead of Yom Hazikaron, Israel’s Remembrance Day.

Iraq names little-known banker Ali al-Zaidi as PM after five-month deadlock

The real story of Zaidi is that he is largely unknown and appears to have been chosen almost by chance, as if Iraq’s politicians simply settled on a random figure to lead the country.

Iraqi President Nizar Amedi and Ali al-Zaidi, the nominee of Iraq's Shiite Coordination Framework for prime minister, stand with political figures during a ceremony where Zaidi was tasked with forming a new government, in Baghdad, Iraq, April 27, 2026.

Egypt’s dangerous pressure game against Israel - opinion

Cairo’s live-fire drills near the Israeli border come as Egypt faces economic pressure, Red Sea instability, and growing questions over President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi’s regional strategy.

Military personnel stand guard on the day of Egyptian Prime Minister Mostafa Madbouly's visit to the Rafah border crossing between Egypt and the Gaza Strip, amid the ongoing conflict between Israel and Palestinian Islamist group Hamas, in Rafah, Egypt, October 31, 2023.

As Israel becomes a dominant force in the Middle East, where does Turkey stand? - analysis

Ankara is realizing that in a Middle East dominated by Israeli technological and intelligence prowess, traditional power might no longer be enough.

Turkish President and Leader of the Justice and Development (AK) Party, Recep Tayyip Erdogan addresses to the party members during the AK Party Group Meeting at the Grand National Assembly of Turkiye in Ankara, Turkiye on February 25, 2026.